The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Gaura grown for use as an ornamental plant for the landscape. The new cultivar is known botanically as Gaura lindheimeri and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘SME-2’.
‘SME-2’ is a hybrid plant that arose in a cultivated area in Wonga Park, Victoria, Australia, as follows:
In the spring of 2002, the inventor discovered growing in a bed of plants of Gaura lindheimeri ‘Passionate Pink’ (unpatented) a single plant which exhibited a denser habit than Gaura lindheimeri ‘Passionate Pink’. This discovery was of interest to the inventor since, although Gaura lindheimeri ‘Passionate Pink’ is very quick to grow and flower, it soon develops a lax or open habit. The discovery is presumed to be a chance seedling which resulted from the open pollination of plants of the surrounding plants of Gaura lindheimeri ‘Passionate Pink’. Plants of the species Gaura lindheimeri have a tendency to self-seed if numerous flower stems are left in place. However, most cultivars of Gaura lindheimeri, including Gaura lindheimeri ‘Dauphine’ (unpatented)—which was the pollen parent of Gaura lindheimeri ‘Passionate Pink’—appear to be sterile.
The inventor marked the single discovered plant and allowed it to run to seed so that further plants could be raised from this improved selection. The seed was collected and sown immediately. In summer 2002/2003, the resulting seedlings were transplanted into individual 14 cm diameter containers which were planting out into a trial bed for over-wintering and evaluation as freshly-grown plants in spring 2003. After repeated observation of the trials plants during spring and summer 2003, the inventor selected and removed for asexual reproduction and further trials a single plant to be known as ‘SME-2’. The inventor selected ‘SME-2’ for its particular combination of overall plant size and form which is dense and upright, its foliage which is both green and purple-red, its purple-red flower stalks, and its rose-pink flowers.
‘SME-2’ was first asexually propagated by the inventor in 2003 from vegetative (non-flowering) stem cuttings taken from the original plant ‘SME-2’. The cuttings were grown to rooted plug stage and then transferred to 140 mm. containers, filled with pine bark based mix containing controlled release fertilizer. The resulting plants were determined to exhibit the same characteristics as the originally selected plant ‘SME-2’ and from subsequent asexual reproductions the inventor has determined that the new variety ‘SME-2’ is stable and reproduces true to type.
When compared with Gaura lindheimeri ‘Passionate Pink’, ‘SME-2’ is readily distinguished by its dense foliage habit, whereas Gaura lindheimeri ‘Passionate Pink’ exhibits a somewhat sparse growth habit.